Despite rave reviews, the NBA’s All-Star Saturday Night was the least-watched in six years.
NBA All-Star Saturday Night had a 3.2 final rating and 5.6 million viewers on TNT, down 6% in ratings and 8% in viewership from last year (3.4, 6.1M), and up a tick and down 2%, respectively, from coverage opposite the Olympics in 2014 (3.1, 5.7M).
The telecast ranks as the least-watched NBA All-Star Saturday Night since 2010 (5.4M), which also aired opposite the Olympics, and the second-least watched since 2008 (5.2M).
Viewership peaked at 7.0 million from 10:15-10:30 PM ET, during the celebrated dunk contest between Wolves G Zach Levine and Magic F Aaron Gordon. That trails last year’s peak of 7.8 million, but tops the 2014 peak of 6.7 million.
As was the case for the All-Star Game itself, Saturday’s numbers were likely affected by host city Toronto, which does not count toward U.S. television ratings. Last year’s host city was the nation’s #1 market New York, which turned in a 7.2 rating for the Saturday night festivities — equivalent to nearly half a ratings point nationally.
New York placed third this year, with a 5.9 — behind only Cleveland (6.7) and the Bay Area (6.2). Oklahoma City and San Antonio rounded out the top five, each scoring a 5.6.
Head-to-head, All-Star Saturday Night topped NASCAR’s Sprint Unlimited on FOX in ratings (3.2 to 2.8) and viewership (5.6M to 4.8M) and more than doubled the race in adults 18-49 (2.6 to 1.1). In the demo, the NBA even topped Saturday’s Republican primary debate on CBS (2.2), though the debate did much better overall (8.1, 13.4M).
(Sat. numbers from Turner Sports, with additional info from Programming Insider)
